HAS Russell Crowe entered into a new relationship after his split with Danielle Spencer was made public?

The Les Miserables star - who is believed to have officially finished things with his wife of nine years 12 months ago, but only hit the headlines in October - has reportedly been seen "intensely flirting" with singer Billy Joel's ex wife, celebrity chef and food critic Katie Lee.

According to New York Post gossip bible Page Six, Crowe, 48, and Lee, 31, were seen snuggled up by a cosy fireplace in the drawing room of the Greenwich Hotel in New York City in the early hours of Sunday.

"They seemed to be in an intense, flirtatious conversation," a source told the publication. "They looked really into each other."

The pair were seen in the same hotel later in the day.

"Katie was still at the hotel Sunday afternoon," the source said.

"She was seen with Crowe sitting at the same fireplace about 2pm." The newspaper quoted another source as saying the two were "seeing each other casually".

Lee was married to Joel for five years before they busted up in 2009.

Their separation was controversial, to say the least, with Lee rumoured to have been having an extensive affair with Israeli fashion designer Yigal Azrouel.

She also regularly appears on popular US cooking shows such as Top Chef and Iron Chef America.

Crowe is in the Big Apple filming new fantasy movie Winter's Tale, which co-stars Will Smith and Colin Farrell.